Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

Saturday, May 6th is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and residents across the East Kootenay are being asked to take action to help protect their homes and properties from the risk of wildfire.

“The probability of damaging wildfires has increased in recent years and it’s important that residents prepare themselves and their homes for the possibility that a wildfire will happen near to their community,” explains RDEK Wildfire Resilience Supervisor Terry Balan.

“Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a great way to make an intentional effort. Whether it’s your first actions or part of ongoing efforts, we encourage everyone to get FireSmart on May 6th. It’s important that people take the time to lessen the hazards around their homes and to make sure they have a plan for them and their families to use in case of emergency,” adds Balan. “We’ve repeatedly seen small fires become serious very quickly in our region, so it’s important to know what steps you are going to take before time is a factor.”

The RDEK is also home to the East Kootenay FireSmart Program, which follows the FireSmart Canada principles to help encourage and support residents and communities in becoming FireSmart. Residents can access a list of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day events, preparedness guides, homeowner’s manuals, landscaping guides and more at engage.rdek.bc.ca/firesmart.

The East Kootenay’s focus on the FireSmart program continues to go strong. We follow the principles of FireSmart BC and FireSmart Canada, with the goal of encouraging residents to adopt FireSmart practices and reduce the potential for wildfire impacts on their properties.

FireSmart is a valuable source when preparing for wildfire season. From simple tips for homeowners looking to protect their property to community programs led by local experts, everything you need to protect and prepare your home, neighbourhood, or municipality during wildfire season can be addressed by following FireSmart principles.

Erin is a homeowner in Mckay Creek. Her experience with wildfire, and how she prepared her property to be wildfire-resilient, went viral on Twitter. Here, she shares her story with FireSmart BC.